The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) applauds the passage of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.
“This is great news for CDTA and transit systems across the State of New York,” said Carm Basile, chief executive officer of CDTA. “We want to thank the delegation of New York lawmakers, and particularly Senator Chuck Schumer, for his tenacity and resolve to insure the continued support of the work we do. Today is the start of bigger menu of mobility options for the Capital Region.”
New York’s mass transit aid – which includes money for bus systems upstate – will total $7.5 billion through 2020, an increase of $779 million. For highway and road projects, the state will receive $8.9 billion through 2020, an increase of $790 million over the five years.
CDTA and other bus systems around the state were braced for a possible funding cut because the original House version of the bill would have ended the High Density States Program. A group of negotiators led by Senator Schumer were able to restore more than $100 million in annual funding to New York State before the bill’s passage.
Basile added, “By insuring the continuance and full funding of 5340 funding, transit authorities like CDTA will be able to continue to develop high quality services that people can depend on. Ridership on CDTA buses has grown by 25 percent in the last 5 years and today’s announcement of a stronger partnership with the federal government is welcome news for CDTA, for our customers and for the regional economy, which is increasingly reliant on us.”
